Improvement in children s carriages



2 Sheets- -Sheet R. G. BRITTO N.

Childrens Carriages.

Patented Feb. 11, 18 73.

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E. G. -mTTo N Childrens carriages.

Patented Feb. 11, 18 73.

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RODNEY G. BRIT'ION, OF

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SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHILDRENS CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 35,764, dated February 1l, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RODNEY G.`BRITTON, of Springfield, in the county ot Windsor and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Childrens Oarriages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part ot' this specification, in which drawing- Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of my invention in the plane ma', Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan 0f the top detached when put up for transportation. Fig. et is a transverse section of the same in the plane y y, Fig. 3. Fig-5 is a detached sectional view ofthe handle in a larger scale than the previous iigures. Fig. Gis a transverse section of the same in the plane z z, Fig. 5.

Similar letters indicate'correspondin g parts.

This invention consists in combining, with the front axle of a childrens push-carriage, a swivel-joint, which allows said front axle to turn in a horizontal plane in such a manner that the operation of steering or guiding the carriage with the push-handle is materially facilitated; also, in the arrangement of a segmental guide-bar between the front ends of the sills of a childrens carriage, in combination with arms which form the bearings for a pivot passing through hounds which extend from the front axle of the carriage, said axle being curved to correspond to the segmental guidebar in such a manner that said axle is steadied, while it is free to turn on its pivot; further, in the arrangement of slotted brackets, in combination with the push-handle, which is hinged to the back of a childrens carriage, and which is provided with set-screws passing through the slotted brackets in such a manner that said handle can be adjusted up or down to suit the stature of the person pushing the carriage; also, in the arrangement of lips projecting from the handle andmade to engage with notches in the slotted brackets, for the purpose of retaining the handle tirmly in position after it has been adjusted and fastened by the set-screws5 also, in the arrangement of hinged standards, supporting the top of the carriage in such a manner that, when said top is taken off, the standards can be folded in to form a convenient package for transportation.

In the drawing', the letter A designates the body of -a childrens carriage, which connects, by means of springs B with the rear axle U, and by means of sills D with the front axle E This front axle is connectedl to the sills by means of a vertical pivot, a, and the carriage is propelled by a handle, F, secured to the back of the body A.

By allowing thel front axle to swivel in a horizontal plane on the pivot a, the operation of steering the carriage by means ot' the push-handle is materially facilitated. lf

the front axle is rigid, or not allowed to swivel Y in a horizontal plane, the carriage can be turned one way or the other only by depressing the handle and swinging the carriage round on the hind wheels, or by lifting the rear part of the carriage up and turning it on the -front wheels. Either of these operations has a tendency to strain the carriage, and to loosen the connection between the handle and the body A 5 but by allowing the front axle to swivel on a vertical pivot, the front wheels readily turn in either direction, and aslight pressure on the handle toward one side or toward the other causes the carriage to move in the desired direction.

The pivot a has its bearing in-arrns b, which extend from a segmental guide-bar, c, that is secured between the sills D, and the front axle is curved to correspond to the said guide-bar, and it is provided with hounds d, which pro` ject under the arms b, and are connected to the same by the pivot a, both the axle and the guide-bar forming parts of a circle described from the center of said pivot. To the guide bar is secured an L-shaped bracket, e, which catches under the axle and keeps the same up Y By this arrangement against the guide-bar. a lirm and durable connection is produced between the front axle and the sills of the carriage, and at the same time said axle is free to swivel on the pivot a. The handle Fis connected to the back of the body-A by means of hin ge-j oints f, and it is' adj usted in the required position by segmental brackets g, which are provided with slots h, to admit set-screws '13, which are tapped into the side bars of the handle, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) and said side bars are strengthened by metallic ferrules or caps j,

which give a good hold to the setscrews. From these caps or ferrules project lips 71., Fig. 6, which engage with notches Z in the sides of the segmental brackets, so that when the setscrews 'i are tightened the handle is securely retained in the required position. By this arrangement I am enabled to adjust the handle with convenience to suit the person engaged in pushing the carriage. The top G is supported by standards m, each of which is made in two sections, connectedv to each other by hinge-joints a, Figs. 3 and 4, so that when the carriage is to be packed up for transportation, or otherwise, the standards can be folded under the top, and said top can be packed up in a comparatively small space. It' the standards were made rigid, they would have to be unfastened from the top, as well as from the body of the carriage, in order to allow of pack ing the top with convenience.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The front axle of a childs carriage, pro vided with lateral arms d d, and connected, by a swivel-joint, a., with the supporting-arms b b ofthe sills DD, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

2. The segmental guidebar c, provided with the L-shaped bracket, and arrangedbetween the sills D D of a childs carriage, in combination with the front axle swiveled upon the pivot a, substantially as set forth.

3. The handle F of a childs carriage, connected with the same by a hinge-joint, in combination with the slotted brackets g g and setscrews li 1'.

4., The lips k, projecting from the ferrules or caps of the side bars of the handle, in combination with notches l in the brackets g, and with the set-screws i, substantially as set forth.

5. The sectional standards m, connected to each other by hingejoints n, in combination with the top G of a childrens carriage, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

RODNEY G. BRlT'lON.

NVitnesses:

SAML. W. PORTER, E, M. EATON. 

